Film magazine



June 26, 1956 H. R. SCHENCK, JR 2,752,107

FILM MAGAZINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1952 FIG.I

I NVEN TOR June 26, 1956 R. SCHENCK, JR 2,752,107

FILM MAGAZINE Filed Aug. 16, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR United States Patent FILM MAGAZINE Harry R. Scheuck, Jr., Los Angeles, Calif. Application August 16, 1952, Serial No. 304,812

4 Claims. (Cl. 242-71) My invention relates in general to photographic apparatus and, more particularly, to magazines for housing the film or other light-sensitive materials used in cameras and the like, a primary object of the invention being to provide improved means for mounting such magazines in cameras or other devices of a similar nature.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a magazine which may be attached to and detached from a support on the camera readily and rapidly whenever necessary, and to provide latching means for releasably securing the magazine to the support.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a magazine assembly of the foregoing general character wherein the magazine may be detached from the support by the simple expedient of retracting a pivoted latch which forms part of the latching means and which automatically secures the magazine to the support whenever the magazine is placed on the support in the proper position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a latch having an undercut portion which is adapted to engage a complementary portion of the magazine to secure the magazine to the support.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a magazine assembly comprising two magazines, one for exposed film and the other for unexposed film, which are of identical construction so that they may be used interchangeably with a reel either as a film feeding magazine or as a take-up or rewind magazine.

A further object is to provide a magazine assembly which includes separate latches for the two magazines so that either magazine may be attached and detached independently of the other without unthreading the camera with which the installation is used.

Another object is to provide an installation wherein the magazines are reversible, as well as interchangeable, so that they may be used in connection with motion picture cameras by either left-handed or right-handed persons.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an installation which includes a common support for the two magazines detachably conjected to the camera so that it may be removed readily whenever necessary. A related object is to provide an adaptor to which the support may be connected in mounting it on the camera, the adaptor being designed to fit the particular camera with which my magazine assembly is to be used.

A further object of this invention is to provide an installation which permits removal of either magazine under normal lighting conditions with an inconsequential loss of film.

The foregoing objects and advantages of my invention, together with various other objects and advantages thereof which will be made apparent hereinafter, may be attained by utilizing the exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and which is described in detail hereinafter. Referring to the drawmgs:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a motion picture camera having mounted thereon a magazine assembly which embodies the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view showing the camera and magazine assembly illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view show-' ing the construction of the magazine assembly;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view showing a portion of one of the magazines and is taken in the direc-' tion indicated by the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 3; V

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view which is taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating an application of the invention to a still camera.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, I show a motion picture camera 10 having mounted thereon a film magazine assembly 11 which embodies the fundamental principles of the invention, the magazine assembly comprising an adaptor 12 detachably connected to the camera, a support 13 removably mounted on the adaptor, and cylindrical film magazines 14 and 15 detachably connected to the support. Each of the magazines 14 and 15 is provided with a rotatable reel therein (not shown) on which film may be wound, the reels being driven by external pulleys 16 and 17 which are mounted on the magazines 14 and 15, respectively. In the particular arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the magazine 14 is used to house unexposed film which is to be fed through the camera 10 and the magazine 15 is used to house exposed film, the reel within the magazine 15 being driven by a flexible cable 18 which is trained over the pulley 17 and over a pulley 19 connected to the crank or other film driving mechanism (not shown) of the camera. The camera 10 per se forms no part of the present invention so that the structure of the camera and the manner in which the film is threaded therethrough are not illustrated in the drawings.

Considering the structure of the magazine assembly 11 in more detail, the purpose of the adaptor 12 is to permit a single magazine support 13 to be used on various cameras. The cameras on which the magazine support 13 is to be mounted are provided with individual adaptors 12 to which the support may be attached so that it may be shifted from one camera to another as desired, each adaptor being designed to fit the particular camera with which the magazine assembly 11 is to be used. Referring particularly to 3 of the drawings. the adaptor 12- comprises a rectangular plate 22 which is seated on the upper wall 23 of the case of the camera 10 and which is permanently secured thereto by m ans of screws or the like (not shown). in order to attain additional rigidity in the connection between the adaptor 12 and the camera case, the plate 22 is preferably provided with pins 24 which extend into openings 25 in the upper wall 23 of the case. The pins 24 also extend above the upper surface of the plate 22 and serve as locating pins which assist in mounting the magazine support 13 on the adaptor 12 as will be discussed in more detail hereinafter. The adapter 12 also includes tubular guides 26 and 27 for film entering and leaving the camera 10, the film guides preferably extending into openings 28 and 29 in the upper wall 23 of the camera case so as to provide light seals between the case and the adaptor. The film guides 26 and 27 also project above the upper surface of the plate 22 and extend into openings 30 and 31 in the magazine support 13 when it is mounted on the adaptor 12 so as to provide light seals between the magazine support and the adaptor.

As best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the magazine support 13 comprises a central stanchion to which both of the magazines 14 and 15 are attached in the particular construction illustrated. The magazine support 13 is detachably connected to the adaptor 12 by a vertical pilot Patented June 26, 1956 rod 34 which extends through the support and which is threaded into a hole 35 in the adaptor plate 22, the pilot rod being provided with a knurled knob 36 at its upper endfor convenience in attaching the magazine support to and detaching it from the adaptor. Thus, in order to mount the magazine support 130m the camera it), it is merely necessary to seat it on the adaptor 12 and thread the lower end of the pilot rod 34 into the opening 35 in the plate 22. As previously mentioned, the pins 24 preferably extend above the upper surface of the plate 22 to assist in locating the magazine support 13 with respect to the adaptor 12, the magazine support being provided with openings 37 therein for the upper ends of these locating pins.

In order to prevent loosening of the pilot rod 34, the threads at the lower end thereof are held in engagement with the threads in the hole 35 by means of a compression spring 38 which encircles the pilot rod and which is disposed in a cavity 39 in the magazine support 13. The lower end of the spring 38 is seated against the lower wall of the cavity 39 and the upper end of the spring is seated against a washer 4t? fixed on the pilot rod 34. It will be apparent that the spring 38 will be compressed as the pilot rod 34 is threaded into the hole 35 in the adaptor plate 22 so that it exerts an upward force on the pilot rod to hold the threads thereon firmly in engagement with the threads in the hole 35 so as to prevent loosening of the threaded connection between the magazine support 13 and the adaptor 12 during operation of the camera 10.

As best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the magazine support 13 is provided with arcuate walls 43 defining recesses which are adapted to receive the cylindrical magazines 14 and 15, the magazines being detachably connected to the magazine support by latching means 44 and 45, respectively.

As will be discussed in more detail hereinafter, the magazines 14 and 15 and their respective latching means are independent of each other and are of identical construction so that the magazines may be attached to or detached from the support 13 independentlyof each other and may be interchanged if desired.

Considering the latching means 44 and 45 for the magazines 14 and 15 in more detail, each magazine is provided with a circumferential projection or rib 46 having side walls and inwardly beveled or undercut ends 47 and 48, each projection 46 being adapted to fit into a complementary recess 49 in one of the arcuate walls 43 of the magazine support 13. The material of support 13 forming one end of each recess 49 is inwardly beveled or undercut and is adapted to receive one of the undercut ends 47 or 48 of one of the projections 46, as best shown on the left side of Fig. 3. The other undercut end of each projection 46 is adapted to be engaged by an undercut, hook-like end 51 of a latch 52 which is disposed in a recess 53 in the magazine support 13, each of the latches 52 being pivotally connected to the magazine support by a pin 54.

The latches 52 are biased toward extended positions by'compression springs 57 so as to hold the undercut ends 51 thereof in engagement with the corresponding undercut ends of the projections 46 on the magazines 14 and 15, each latch spring being seated in recesses 58 and 59 in the magazine support 13 and in the corresponding latch 52, respectively. Each latch 52 is provided with a knob 60 thereon by means of which the latch may be rotated into a retracted position to disengage it from the projection 46 on the corresponding magazine, the magazine support 13 being provided with slots 61 therein through which the knobs 60 extend.

It will be apparent that in order to mount one of the magazines 14 .or on the magazine support 13, it is merely necessary to insert one of the undercutends 47 or 48 .of1the"projection..-46 thereon under the undercut ;end 5011f one ;of the recesses 49:in-the magazinegsupport-zand then press :the magazin inwardly o that the undercu end 51 of the corresponding latch 52 will be inserted under the other undercut end of the projection on the magazine by the latch spring 57. In attaching one of the magazines 14 and 15 to the support 13 in this manner, it is unnecessary to rotate the corresponding latch 52 out of the way since this will occur automatically, the tip 62 of the undercut end 51 of each latch being so beveled that the corresponding projection 46 engages it to swing the latch out of the way as the magazine is pressed inwardly into place. In order to detach one of the magazines 14 or 15, it is merely necessary to retract the corresponding latch 52 by means of the knob 60 thereon so as to disengage the undercut end 51 of the latch from the projection 46, whereupon the magazine may be separated from the support 13 in an obvious manner.

As previously discussed, the magazines 14 and 15 are of identical construction so that either magazine may be mounted on either side of the magazine support 13. Thus, either magazine may be used for the exposed or unexposed portions of the film fed through the camera 10. The undercut ends 47 and 48 of the projections 46 on the magazines 14 and 15 are symmetrical so that, in addition to being interchangeable, the magazines may be inverted so as to position the pulleys 16 and 17 thereon on either the left or the right side of the camera 10 to permit use of the magazine assembly 11 by either left-handed or right-handed persons. In other words, either undercut end 47 or 48 of the projections 46 on the magazines may be inserted under the undercut ends 50 of the recesses 49 in the magazine support 13, and either undercut end of the projections may be engaged by the latches 52 so as to permit reversal of the magazines for the purpose described.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawings, the manner in which film is fed through the camera 10 from one of the magazines 14 or 15 to the other will now be described in more detail. Each of the magazines is provided with an opening 65 located substantially midway between the undercut ends 47 and 48 of the circumferential projection 46 thereon, the opening 65 in each magazine communicating with the upper end of a film passage 66 in the magazine support 13 when the magazine is attached to the support. The lower ends of the'film passages 66 communicate with the film guides 26 and 27 carried by the adaptor plate 22 so that film may be fed from the magazine 14, for example, into the camera 10 through the opening 65 in the magazine 14, the corresponding passage 66 in the magazine support 13, and through the film guide 26, and maybe transferred from the camera through the ;film guide 27, the other film passage 66 in the support,

and through the opening 65 in the magazine 15 into the interior of this magazine. The direction of film travel may, of course, be reversed so-that film is fed through the camera 10 from the magazine 15 to the magazine 14 in a similar manner.

A pair of rollers 67 is mounted in each of the film passages66-in-the magazine support 13 to guide the film, the rollers 67 in each passage being spaced apart slightly to permit passage of the film therebetween. In order to exclude light from the interior of the camera 10 when one of the magazines 14 or 15 is detached from the support 13, therollers 67 are covered with layers 68 of light absorbing material so thateither magazine may be detached without danger of fogging the film in the camera. The

protective layers 68 on the rollers .67 may, for example,

be formed of black-velvet. V

In order to prevente-xposureof the film in the magazines .14 and '15 upon detachment fromthe-magazine support 13, each magazine is provided with alight trap for excluding light therefrom. As best shown in Fig. 3 of Additional light seals for the magazines 14 and 15 are provided by externally located sealing elements 72 which are adapted to seat against the circumferential projections 46 on the magazines adjacent the openings 65 therein as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the sealing elements 72 being of a size to substantially close the corresponding openings 65 and being provided with slits 73 therein which communicate with the openings 65 to permit passage of the film therethrough. The sealing elements 72 include layers 74 of a material which serves to absorb substantially all of the light tending to enter the openings 65 in the magazines when the magazines are detached from the support 13, and light filtering past the absorbing layers 74 being excluded from the interior of the magazines by the layers of absorbing material on the rollers 70. Preferably, the sealing elements 72 are provided with ears 75 which are located on opposite sides of the magazines 14 and 15 and extend inwardly toward the centers thereof, the function of the ears 75 being to exclude any light tending to enter the ends of the openings 65 in the magazines.

In order to hold the layers 74 of light absorbing material on the sealing elements 72 in engagement with the respective magazines 14 and 15, each sealing element is mounted on a spring arm 76 which is secured to the circumferential projection 46 on the corresponding magazine, the projections 46 being recessed to receive the spring arms. It will be apparent that since light seals are provided on the magazine support 13 and the magazines 14 and 15, it is possible to detach either or both of the magazines without danger of exposing the film in the magazines or in the camera and with the loss of only a very small amount of film. As illustrated on the right side of Fig. 3 of the drawings, upon removing the magazine 15, for example, it is necessary to move the magazine away from the support 13 only a distance sufiicient to permit cutting the film between the magazine and the support. By exercising a little care, the loss of film can be reduced to one or two frames. Thus, with my magazine assembly 11, the operator may remove the magazine containing the exposed portions of the film at any time with only an inconsequential loss of film. Consequently, the magazine containing exposed film may be removed whenever desired so that the exposed film may be developed without waiting until all of the film in the supply magazine has been exposed, which is an important feature of the invention. The unexposed film may be left in the supply magazine and used as desired.

Although I have described my invention in connection with a motion picture camera, it will be understood that it is applicable to other types of cameras. For example, in Fig. 6 of the drawings I show a still camera 80 having mounted thereon a magazine assembly 81 which embodies the invention. The magazine assembly 81 includes a magazine support which is indicated generally by the numeral 83 and which carries detachable magazines 84 and 85. The magazine assembly 81 is similar to the assembly 11 which was described previously and will not be discussed in detail, the principal difference between the two assemblies being that the magazine support 83 is formed in two parts 86 and 87 which are mount- 6 ed on opposite sides of the camera 80. In all other respects, the magazine support 83 is identical to the support 13 and the magazines 84 and are identical to the magazines 14 and 15.

Although I have disclosed two exemplary embodiments of my invention herein for convenience in disclosing same, it will be understood that various changes, modifications, and substitutions may be incorporated in the specific embodiments disclosed without necessarily departing from the spirit of the invention. Consequently, I hereby reserve the right to all such changes, modifications and substitutions as properly come within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a magazine assembly the combination of: a magazine, a projection on said magazine having side Walls and oppositely undercut ends, a support for said magazine having a surface to engage it beyond the projection, said support having a recess therein with side walls to engage those of the projection and an undercut end Wall complementary to and adapted to receive one of the undercut ends of the projection, a latch housed within said recess, means pivoting said latch in said recess for movement between extended and retracted positions, said latch having an undercut hook end complementary to the other of said undercut ends of said projection, and positioned to hold the same when in the extended position and to be disengaged therefrom when in the retracted position, and means for releasably retaining said latch in said extended position.

2. The magazine assembly as defined in claim 1 in which resilient means is provided for biasing said latch toward said extended position for engagement with the said other end of said projection to hold the magazine positioned on said support.

3. In a magazine assembly the combination of: a plurality of magazines, a projection on each magazine having oppositely undercut ends, a support having an undercut portion complementary to and adapted to receive one of said ends of one of said magazine projections, said support having a recess therein contiguous to the projection of one of said mounted magazines, a latch having a hooked end complementary to the other end of said projection, a pivot mounting said latch in said recess and positioned so that the engaging surfaces of the hook and one undercut end may move over each other in substantially parallel engaging relation when the latch is extended to engage the projection whose other end is engaged by the support undercut portion.

4. The magazine assembly of claim 3 wherein a spring biases the latch toward engaging position, said latch engaging end of the projection being positioned to move the latch to a retracted position for automatic engagement as the magazine is pressed inwardly into place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,878,693 Gamble Sept. 20, 1932 1,954,255 Moreno Apr. 10, 1934 1,998,324 Lloyd Apr. 16, 1935 

